Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum (Benedict XV.)
With the Apostolic Constitution Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum of June 24, 1921 Pope Benedict XV. the diocese of Meissen restored. This constitution was also incorporated into the contract ( concordat ) between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringia dated June 11, 1997.
Rebuilding
The diocese of Meissen was founded in 968. In the course of the Reformation , the Catholic diocese ceased to exist in 1581, with this Apostolic Constitution, the Meissen diocese with its seat in Bautzen was re-established. It was also determined that the diocese was directly subordinate to the Holy See.
1997 Concordat
In the Concordat between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringia, dated June 11, 1997, the declaration on Article 4 states:
“The current diocesan organization and circumscription of the Catholic Church in the Free State of Thuringia is based for the Diocese of Erfurt on the contract between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringia on the establishment of the Diocese of Erfurt of June 14, 1994; for the diocese of Dresden-Meißen according to the Apostolic Constitution 'Sollicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum' of June 24, 1921; for the Diocese of Fulda according to Article 2 of the Treaty of the Free State of Prussia with the Holy See of June 14, 1929 in conjunction with the contract between the Holy See and the Free State of Thuringia on the establishment of the Diocese of Erfurt of June 14, 1994. "